1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a bioerodable implantable device coating with a endothelial cell binding agent.
2. Description of the Background
In the implantation of an implantable device such as a stent, the response to an implant and the occurring injury is a long biological pathway starting with protein deposition, ultimately resulting in the re-endothelialization of the lumen. The re-endothelialization of the arterial lumen is critical for the healing response. Without a healthy endothelium, the red blood cells will be prone to activation leading to thrombi. In the effort to control the hyperplasia response to stenting, antiproliferatives, such as pharmaceutical agents from the rapamycin analogs or paclitaxol, are included in a drug delivery stent to be released in a sustained manner. The drug acts on several cellular pathways including the FKBP/mTorr mediated signaling for a proliferative response. The control of the proliferative response of the smooth muscle cells, which results in the hyperplasia response to the stenting injury, is at the expense of a slow re-endothelialization of the lumen.
In the use of bioerodable stents, such as those derived from poly(lactic acid), bioerodable iron compounds, and bio-erodable magnesium compounds, it becomes critical for the safety of the device that the device be encapsulated while the stent retains its mechanical strength. If the mechanical properties of the stent are compromised due to bioerosion before it is encapsulated, an embolic event may result.
The present invention provides such a polymeric material for coating implantable devices or forming absorbable devices such as a stent.